


He's the Reason I'm Leaving

by sladeninstitute



Category: Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Established Relationship, M/M, for real this is angsty as hell
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-10-23
Updated: 2013-10-23
Packaged: 2017-12-30 06:15:55
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,385
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1015095
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sladeninstitute/pseuds/sladeninstitute
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Leonard McCoy's worst nightmare comes true.</p>
            </blockquote>





	He's the Reason I'm Leaving

"Doctor McCoy to the captain's quarters." Jim's voice crackled over the comm, nearly sending Bones flying out of his skin. He'd been working on some paperwork and was so zoned out that he wound up knocking over his coffee cup in the ensuing panic. Thankfully, the cup had been empty and there wasn't a mess to clean up. McCoy picked up his comm and flipped it open, responding to his boyfriend's message.

"Be right there, Jim." Bones didn't know why Jim wanted to see him in their quarters so early in the day, but something told him that it probably wasn't going to end well. Jim never called him to their quarters, never had to, really.  _I'm just bein' paranoid. Get yourself together, McCoy._ Bones hopped on the turbolift and found himself at the door to their quarters in no time at all. Something made him hesitate before entering, and for the first time since he'd come on board the  _Enterprise,_ Leonard McCoy found himself ringing the doorbell.

"Come." Jim's voice emanated from the other side of the door, and Bones stepped forward. The door parted to reveal Jim standing there, a box in hand. Behind him, Bones could see Spock sitting on the bed. On  _their_  bed. Bones cocked an eyebrow, his own way of asking for an explanation. Jim was all too happy to give him one.

"I, uh, Bones..." Jim wasn't sure how to break the news, "It's been great, what you and I have shared. We've been through a lot, seen a lot together. But I think it's best that we don't see each other any more." He looked pained, but it was from having to break the news to his longtime boyfriend, not out of remorse for his actions.

"Jim?" Dr. McCoy searched his boyfriend's eyes for some sign that this was a joke. There was no indication that this was anything less than serious. He couldn't understand why Jim would break up with him, and especially not so suddenly. There'd been no signs that anything was wrong between them. Sure, Jim had been spending a bit more time with Spock lately, but... The doctor's train of thought stopped right there, the answer smacking him clear in the face.  _Spock._ Jim Kirk was leaving him for Spock. The green blooded hobgoblin that they'd shared their fair share of jokes about behind his back. The captain seemed to pick up on the fact that Bones had figured out that Spock was involved, silently nodding to confirm his suspicions.

"But...why?" Bones hated how his voice sounded so broken, barely above a whisper. "Why now? Why after everything that we've been through? Did I do something wrong?"

"No, no. You didn't do anything wrong. It's just that...Spock Prime, well..." a frustrated huff escaped Jim's lips, "Spock, you can explain it better than I can." Jim turned around to look at the half-human, half-Vulcan hybrid that was sitting gracefully on the edge of the bed.

"Captain Kirk and I are t'hy'la. It is a Vulcan word that can mean many things, used in this situation to mean lovers. The version of myself from the other timeline informed Jim and I that we were lovers in his timeline, and that it was to be a universal constant. After careful consideration, Jim and I have realized our affection for each other. Simply put, we are in love." Spock stood up, going to stand next to the man that was his t'hy'la.

Jim held out the box in his hands, and McCoy got his first look at what was inside of it. His clothes, the meagre possessions that he owned, everything of his that'd been in their shared quarters was inside that box. Their entire relationship was in that goddamned box, and Jim was just holding it out like he wanted nothing more than to be rid of it. Leonard's eyes flicked from the box, to Jim, and then over to the pointy eared bastard that'd just stolen his boyfriend. He wanted nothing more than to wipe that emotionless stare off of Spock's face, make the Vulcan bleed because of him, but that'd get him chucked off the ship faster than he could blink an eye.

"Dr. McCoy, I understand how traumatic this must be for you. Your continued silence, however, will not make this any less of a reality. It is best that you take your belongings and place them in the CMO's quarters." Bones shot him a glare that was phaser potent, hoping it would shut Spock up for good.

"Bones..." Jim's voice still hadn't lost that pained quality to it, "Spock and I have discussed it. If you want to transfer off the  _Enterprise_ , we won't blame you. We can get M'Benga to step in as our CMO and you can go work on the ground, maybe back home in Georgia?" 

Bones snapped.

"Goddamnit, Jim! Y'all can't just plan out my future for me just because we're breakin' up! I don't give a damn if you two are lovers or brothers or what in the hell ever, but I want you to look me in the eye right now and tell me that you don't love me. I - I - I dunno if he's pressurin' you into this or somethin' but the Jim Kirk I know wouldn't just because some wrinkly old sonnovabitch from some other universe came in and told you to!" Bones stepped forward, grabbing Jim's shoulders and giving them a little shake. "Jim, I love you. You love me too, right?"

Wrong.

"I don't love you. Not any more." The lack of emotion with which Jim spoke the words almost knocked Bones onto his ass. Jim was pressing the box of possessions into his stomach. "You need to leave, Bones."

"I think...I think maybe I'll take you up on that transfer after all." He didn't say another word, taking the box and spinning on his heel to leave. Outside the door to Jim's quarters, Bones stood and stared at the opposing wall. What was he supposed to do now? Did he go back to work? Did he go to the quarters that'd been assigned to him but never once inhabited? Overridden with grief for a split second, Bones gave a moment's consideration to letting himself get sucked out of one of the airlocks. Shaking his head and deciding against that, he started off down the corridor, no set destination in mind. He'd wander until he figured something else, the box that held his life cradled firmly against his chest. 

\--

Bones jerked awake, his entire body drenched in sweat. Beside him, Jim stirred, his blue eyes flicking open to assess the older man beside him.

"Bones? S'everything OK?" Jim sounded concerned, but mostly just exhausted. Even with the way that Jim obviously wanted to go back to bed, Bones couldn't help but ask the question that was on his mind.

"Jim...you ain't gonna leave me for that Vulcan son of a bitch, are you?" Everything about his tone made it clear that it was a serious question, spurred on by the nightmare that'd seemed so  _real._  Silence hung between the two for a minute, only serving to speed up Bones's heart rate.  _This is it, he's about to tell me it's all over, that he and Spock are t'hy'la or whatever that damn term is._ What Bones didn't expect to hear was laughter. Jim's laughter.

"Are you serious? Leave you?  _For Spock?_ " Jim moved his head to Bones's chest, leaning up slightly to press a kiss to the doctor's lips. "M'not goin' anywhere. Not now, not tomorrow, and definitely not with Spock. At least not romantically. He still has to go with me on away missions." 

"You sure? You're not gonna change your mind in a month, are you?"

" _Bones_. Go back to sleep. You just had a nightmare." The topic wasn't up for further discussion.

"I love you, Jim." 

"Love you too." Jim closed his eyes again and fell back asleep almost instantly, his head still on Bones's chest. Bones didn't go right back to sleep, looking down at his boyfriend and playing with his hair, confident that they weren't going to break up any time soon. Not ever. Not even for a green blooded hobgoblin like Spock.

**Author's Note:**

> I know the ending was cheesy and fell back on the "it was all a dream" trope, but I felt like that worked well here. I like to think that Kirk/McCoy is endgame. They were destined to meet and together they're destined to stay. That still doesn't stop McCoy from being afraid that Jim's going to leave him and that things'll fall apart, much like they did with his ex-wife.


End file.
